MORINGACEAE

(Horseradish Tree family)

This is a family of 13 species of deciduous trees and sub-shrubs classified in a single genus, namely Moringa Rheede ex Adans. (Mabberley 2008)

Mustard oil thioglucosides are a feature of this family as with the Cruciferae and the Capparaceae. These thioglucosides yield potentially irritant and allergenic isothiocyanates (mustard oils).

Moringa oleifera Lam.

[syns Guilandina moringa L., Hyperanthera moringa Vahl, Moringa moringa Millsp., Moringa pterygosperma Gaertn., Moringa zeylanica Burmann]

Ben Tree, Drumstick Tree, Horseradish Tree, Moringa Tree, Emmunggai, Gemunggai, Lemunggai, Meringgai, Morunggai, Remunggai, Kachang Kelur, Ben Ailée, Meerrettichbaum

The seeds known as Ben nuts are the source of a fixed oil known as oil of Ben. The roots smell of horseradish (Armoracia rusticana G.Gaertn., B.Mey. & Scherb., fam. Cruciferae) (Menninger 1987, Mabberley 2008).

[Further information available but not yet included in database]

References

• Mabberley DJ (2008) Mabberley's Plant-Book. A portable dictionary of plants, their classification and uses, 3rd edn. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press [WorldCat]
• Menninger EA (1967) Fantastic Trees. New York: Viking Press [WorldCat] [url]
• [ + 8 further references not yet included in database]

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